DEATH and the GRAVE, Without either Sting or Victory: or, A few Lines not without Reason, showing to the World something of the worth of that Able and Humble Minister of the Gospel Mr. Christopher Fowler, who departed this Life upon the 15. of January 1677/6. By one who was brought to hear him through Lying Reports. Are these my words that here are put in Print, 'Tis God clears Fowler, I am Passive in't. Surprised again am I! by things thus vain, I thought they had me waned, but now again My heart was caught with Fowler, and I Cry To think that he too, should be Vanity; Whom none could silence, but Death, and that dull Pit, Bare Sickness could not keep him from the Pulpit. O how his hearers mourn! by sight I speak, 'Tis well each full. Heart can at two Eyes Leak. Their weep such, a Parrellel I lack, where all are Mourners, though but few in Black. He used to sit with them, hear at Christ's Table, In a low seat, though he was Honourable. Christ saw him so, and said unto him Friend, Come sit here with me at the upper End. Now he with worship is gone to that Throne He knew so well, yet he was better known. But O how dark God's House grows in our day, A lass, our Landlord takes our Lights away. My Eyes are Dim, or else in my Soul's sight, This Window lately stopped, gave in great light: The Sun-shon Clear through him, he was a Man, Who as a Pillar for God's Truth did stand. He had much grace, yet understand a right, Christ was the Supper, he did but Invite. Ah! he could speak the speech of Canaan's Land, None but Christs-Schollers him could understand. Though many came to hear, from Satan's School, 'Twas such did term this Usher such a Fool; But it's to them Christ threateneth Hell Fire, And till you meet the Judge, he doth Retire, Leaving his two last Sermons for your Warning, His dying Words was, Lord, forgive their Scorning. But England, England, we fear sad's thy hap, Thy Hedge is broke, yet few do see the Gap. Much wrath sure comes together, cause God makes The Gap yet wider, pulling up more stakes. Which doth presage no good, it should affright, To see thy Watch thus drop in thy Midnight; This Watchman did give warning, whilst he stood That Sin would Ruin, therefore will thy Blood. If thou miscarry, he on the right Shelf, Not on the Watchman, but upon thyself, Did he not say Christ came and took our Evils, To overthrow both Power and Work of Devils. Shall we maintain, O then, that Wickedness, That put a Saviour under such distress; O no dear Lord, we must be holy here, If we be happy when we disappear. Did he not say, had God made thee a Beast, Doubtless thy being would at Death have ceased. But there's no help, now God hath made thee Man, But thou must be always, do what thou Can. Did he not say, there's nought but Sin God hates, And none can Love it that to him relates. Did he not say, such Faith is but a Cheat Which those pretend, yet can use deceit. Can Swear, can Drink, can Scoff, can Lie, can Whore, Yet say they hope to besaved evermore. Did he not say true Faith, and Holiness, Show forth each other, breath doth Life Express, We might as well go take heat from the Sun, As Works from true Faith where it is begun. He told of Hell, he said that men might Fear, Yea know its Torment, and might not go there. Did he not say Eternity makes haft To us in Scripture, and we run as fast To it in course of nature, it's a wonder If two thus running, can be long a sunder; How light he thought this World, is evident, With Food and Raiment we should be content. The whole Creation he said with its store, Can give but this, and we can use no more. Such as know Sin, do understand Christ's merit, A Pardon suits with a condemned Spirit. Did he not press us to see God in all, In Shimea's Curse David did hear God call. Afflictions do not rise out of the dust, Those that know God, do know him to be just. Most of Christ's Sermons was 'gainst mere just men, Our danger lies in lawful things, O then, As he would say, the Ox, the Farm, the Wife, Kept most from tasting of the bread of Life. Yet he did Preach good works, the only thing, But yet to trust in, he made Christ our King, Did he not prove God's Laws to be our Rule, And Christ our Righteousness, who on a Mule Rid to Jerusalem, went weeping thus, To give such Righteousness, God first gave us. A perfect one God's Law on us requires, And we in this may answer its desires. Did he not humbly pray, when he had done, If its my Fancy, that from me now run. Lord scatter it, yea, let it be as dust To tread upon, that none to it may trust. But if its truth spoke from the word of truth, A message from the Lord; then let both youth And old Age two live to it, else he told, That very Word in Judgement would take hold. Yea, he would say, we hear the word as man's, and that's the reason it for little stands. Though it's a Treasure that through Pipes doth drain, And it's our Joy, its Spring doth yet remain: How full, yet mild, he answered any doubt, Though some queared as he Preached, to put him out. He Preached one Sermon lasted thirty year, By a good Life he did his doctrine clear. In season, yea and out, this Teacher Taught, Yet was he not for this to Heaven brought. His jousts could not be penned in by a glass, Only God's Spirit he their bounder was. What shall we say, his hearers so lament, It speaks he gave them more than bare content. He was a man for Learning, Grace and Gifts, To set up Christ, few like to Fowler lifts; Yea we will yield he was the Drunkard's Song, Yea the Prosane men's Scoff he dwelled among. As David was, then sure these went one way, And both refer their C●use till Judgement day. For Scripture Language, Scoffers would him Scoff, 'Twas ignorance Alas did make them laugh. If any say, at what Scripture my Friend? Nahum the second and the latter end. As he but named it, yea he bore their Scorns Joshua the sixth, where it speaks of Rams Horns. And many more of such like I could tell, But now alas is fallen in Israel. A mighty man for which my heart now bleeds, I mourn, I mourn, and so may he that Reads. Did he for Scoffers ever change his tone, From that plain way by which he made Christ known. Though he had parts enough to get him Fame, Yet he for Souls good, valued not his name. Inform Informers, than the King of Kings, Is angry cause they Force such birds to wings Which used to sing to him, who owns the cage, As reason is if they will not assuage. Inform them then that he hath bid a Trap Will catch all vermin, if Death on them Clap. He'll hold them fast for robing of his Cages, Whose a great King, and like to him his rage is. If this and more almost a stranger tell, What may they say that knew him very well. AN ACCROSTICK. C Aned mourn for Sin that did thy Saviour pierce, H ark hark thee then, dear Fowler's in a Hearse, R un to it then, and know the reason why, I hear de doth but in a S'umber lie, S tep then to Death, and make him show bis Sting, T ruly says Death, I none to him could bring: O nly I cast his Corpse into a Trance, P verly they Sleep, his Soul I did advance. H e'l wake again cause he had a Reprieve, E arly when morning comes, you may believe, R un back and tell his Friends they need not grieve. F riends did you hear what Death says? yes we do, O that he may say thus much of us too. W hat, did you love his Company so well, Live as he did, and you may with him dwell. E ndless are Joys, where Friends mnst never part, R un where this Treasure is, and leave thy heart. HIS EPITAPH. Here lies a house pulled down, whilst it stood Buils, It was with grace within most richly guilt. Hear it mu●t lie till th' Landlord comes, and then, It must in Glory be built up again. A few Lines which was dropped Jan. the 4th 1676. being the Thursday before Mr. Fowler Preached his two last Sermons to his Congregation, and is supposed to be the occasion of his Preaching from those words, John 16. vers. 8. And was dropped in Love for the Encouragement of him and his Hearers. Entitled, Nothing but Truth. Dear Fowler thou art much Envied By such as cannot thee gainsay, Thy Doctrine by God's word is tried; But such whose Doctrine from it stray. Raise false Reports for their defence, The Gospel by thee shines so bright; And's fain to say thou speaks Nonsense, For to extinguish thy great Light. Just as they did with Paul before, What will this Babbler say they said, To make his Zeal and Doctrine Poor, A mad man two of him they made, 'Cause he made Christ of most Repute, As Fowler doth, this clears our Eyes, Reproach or naught must them Confute, 'Cause no man Living is so wise. The Rage of Satan sure is great, For Taking Arrows from God's Quiver, This Fowler shoots at Satan's seat, Yea takes his Fowl out of his River, This Fowler two doth hit the Pope, That subtle Fowl, a Bird of Pray, Makes some in darkness for him Grope, Who cannot answer by fair Play. The Quaker, yea and the Socinean, Hates Fowler cause he exalts Christ, And jump together in Opinion, To set up man and good works highest. The scoffing Atheist two comes in, And joins himself with each bad thing, And though he counts a Lie no sin, Yet as he says the rest report. The hardened sinner two bears part, Cause Fowler shoots at his fowl trade, And though with Lies he guards his Heart, Yet God hath him a Fowler made. For truth by him doth cast such light As Baffles every Bat and Owl, Yea all that fly in Popish Night, And doth discover unclean Fowl. The Seed he Sows is Pure and good, Then one may know who Sows these Tears, 'Tis Satan sows them in his Brood, Who always deals in such light Wares. As Christ will judge, so men should Preach, And how plain he says, go ye Cursed, Such as smooth Sinners should not Teach, Cause Sinners will to Hell be forced. Familiar Preaching then is best, In plainness thou dost show thy Parts, With Christ thou entertainst thy Guest, Not with thy Sciences and Arts. And such as Seoff at Holiness, Or Jest with Scripture in our Nation, Will find when Death shall them Vndress, That Holiness was the best Fashion. Yea, such as daily boast of Sin. If for their Pains, they look for Praise, Let them have Patience and begin, To boast of Death and Judgement days. Therefore thy clearing day doth haste, When these poor men will change their Story, Meanwhile thy gists spend not in waist, For which we give to God the Glory. This being so before his Death, makes the thing more remarkable, and was put with these by the desire of some. FINIS.